It was a hot summer afternoon, years ago when my father took off work early to take me fishing at one of the Snake River reservoirs in southern Idaho. We were positioning ourselves on the concrete slopes of the reservoir, anticipating a great time of fishing. I had noticed since some of the water had been released the day before it had left wet damp moss exposed on the lower section of the slopes. Yet, as a naive young man, I foolishly ran over across the moss without any caution and immediately began sliding down to the water level. It was with a quick protective hand that my father grasped me and pulled me out of what could have been a slimy slide to a momentary destruction.
In like manner there are definite seasons in our lives that we can find ourselves going through, that if not careful or clothed in God’s armor (Eph. 6:12-13), we can slide deep into dark waters of despair.
When you listen to the voice of the enemy, it will always plunder you in depths of despair.
It’s in our vulnerability that the enemy, will begin to plunder us with his accusations and lies, trying to destroy us as children of God. (Jn 10:10, 1 Peter 5:8) He looks for every opportunity to entice you into venturing out on the slippery slopes of your journey.
The demonic spirit that was working through queen Jezebel when she announced her intent to kill Elijah, which began his slide down the wet slope of despair. We read, in 1 Kings 19:9-10, “…he went into a cave…”, where the Lord said to Him, “What are you doing here?”. Elijah, had just experienced God’s awesome victory on the summit of Mt Carmel days earlier, but now finds himself in a cave, wallowing in despair and causing him to have a distorted perspective. Speaking out of his fear and hopelessness Elijah replies to the Lord “I alone am left; and they seek to take my life”. He began to feel that everyone was against him when it was actually just the demonic agenda through Jezebel.
Elijah was a victorious Godly prophet that was in the flow of what God was doing, until He started listening to the voice of the enemy through the queen. Then instead of him standing in the victory of God, he ran and hid in a cave. He began to believe the lie that everyone was against Him. He came to the place of not wanting to stand for God but
Jesus will always call to you from the banks of your failures so He can realign you.
to Die. (v4) What a change and drastic plunge into the deepest of darkness! Who would have even imagined this fearless and determined prophet that the king and godly officer feared? (1 Kings181-1 7)
Peter himself was also deceived to the point of being pushed onto the wet mossy slopes of despair, through the extraordinary circumstances that he and the other disciples went through. Being under such pressure, Peter slid to such a dark place that he uttered these words to the other six disciples in Jn 21:3, “I am going fishing.” In other words he was saying, I quit and I am going back to my former lifestyle. Evidently he had kept his tackle box from years earlier, so to speak, by the back door making it easy to fall back on. And not him only but his despair moved the disciples present down that same deluge of discouragement.
It was in those times that we see the graciousness of our Lord. With Elijah it was that still small voice that reached out and brought him out of the cave with a new fervor. Peter was pulled out of the depths of the unfruitfulness of despair through the words of the resurrected Lord. (1 Kings19, Jn 21:12-19) Let me encourage you to allow the word of God to reach out to you also and pull you back to Him.
After the prescribed days had passed for the ceremonial purification for childbirth.(Lev 12:1-8) Mary and Joseph now venture with their new born baby, Jesus to the temple. (Luke 2:22-24) It was a day of celebration and anticipation as they come to dedicate this holy child to God. This was a day that can only be described as a “Divine appointment” involving multiple individuals that could only be orchestrated by a loving Heavenly Father. All of which, had their own circumstances filled with hurts and struggles, yet there was an expectancy grounded in God’s faithfulness.
I heard a story about a little boy who was handed an orange by a man trying to be kind. The boy’s mother asked, “What do you say to the nice man?” The little boy thought and handed the orange back and said, “Peel it.”
The anticipation of getting to see our finished clay pottery was overwhelming. It was almost like being a young child before we were able to open Christmas presents. We had gone to the Potter’s House and learned about the process from start to finish. Then as if with God’s divine grace the potter let each of us young students make our own piece of pottery. But due to the curing and drying time that it entailed before the firing we left them at the potter’s shop. Now a month later and once they were done being fired in the kiln, they were delivered to our art classroom. The buzz of the news went through the school like a wild fire in the dry prairie.
Once a year, most of the world comes together in the celebration of Christ’s triumphant entry, through the Passover, the crucifixion all the way to the empty tomb! Then it’s back to work on Monday as normal. Now, don’t get me wrong I love this season. It reminds me and re-aligns me with God’s purpose and love!
Does God think walls are immoral and wrong? In His view, are we being unrighteous and unethical by having a fence or walls on our boarders? Looking at the whole of God’s Word and rightly interpreting it’s message brings a overwhelming understanding that God desires for those that choose to follow His standards to guard and watch out for anything that might be a distraction or hindrance to them. In a time of unrest and injustice God speaks through the prophet in Ezek 22:30 saying, “So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one”. God expects and requires His children to repair and keep the walls effective, not allowing any opposing danger to come in.
The Scripture says whoever will come after Christ, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow Christ. (Mk. 8:34) It doesn’t come easy or cheap, but the effects are life changing. Leonard Ravenhill declares, “Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, GIVE ME REVIVAL in my soul and in my church and in my nation—or GIVE ME DEATH!”
In the midst of the early wintery conditions I found that my fire was essential during my time high on the mountaintop. It was at the foot of the summit overlooking a crisp mountain lake on one side and a steep intimidating ravine on the other, where I chose to set up camp. I had taken time out of my schedule to clear the clutter of the daily routine in my mind and refresh my passion for the Lord. Over the years I have found it necessary at different times to disconnect from the white noise of our society so to reset and re-ignite the fire of God in my daily walk with Him.
A society surrounded by the convenience of instant everything, brings a slow death to the tenacious spirit. Many people want prayers answered before their lips stop moving, unfortunately, many times, it doesn’t happen that way. The scriptures teach us in Colossians 4:2, “to continue earnestly in prayer,” and in Romans 12:12, it says “continuing steadfastly in prayer.” We are exhorted to be persistent in our prayer life. Jesus shares a parable in Luke 18:1-8, driving home the point of persistent prayer. It says, “Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’” Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily…” When I was young, I was told that if I asked or prayed for something more than once I would be
I would imagine we all have experienced times where we are gripped with fear of the unknown. Like my sister and brother who when they were younger took skydiving lessons. Yes, they jumped out of perfectly good airplanes at 13,000 ft above the earth. They said the hardest part of their adventure was the first step out of the plane into the unknown atmosphere. Wow! I don’t want to even imagine how I might feel. I would probably scream like a baby.
Few Christians have seriously pressed into the realm of prayer and fasting. The church has nonchalantly looked the other way and has stopped talking about this biblical principle. Denying ourselves isn’t convenient or enjoyable to our flesh. I know when I fast it seems as if there are screaming eagles in my stomach!
When the new wears off and normal comes into play many lose their passion and fire. As most of us have experienced over the years in our own lives, our passion for different things comes in and out almost as often as the Sun rises and then sets hours later. I remember my siblings and I having thoughts of making big money shoveling driveways every first snow. Yet, halfway through with a mountain of snow still in my shovel the enthusiasm and passion quickly faded and before long we gave up and were all back in our warm home.
In a day where there was no canned “Spaghetti O’s” to be easily opened for dinner or a ready roasted chicken at the local grocery store. Or even any of the conveniences mothers have today, such as disposable diapers, automatic washing machines, packaged baby food and just add water-canned milk. Susanna Wesley raised her children in a pleasing manner before God.
Bill Virgin Blog - Leave room for Cream 